


A Sense of Appreciation

by Kc749



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-09
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-25 15:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4966432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kc749/pseuds/Kc749
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>5x02 follow-up fic about Regina lifting the petrification from Sneezy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Sense of Appreciation

 

“Any news?”

Regina jumps slightly and then glares up at Snow White. “Don’t do that!”

Snow gives her a wounded look. “I knocked, you didn’t answer!” She can’t help but flash back to those times after her father had died, when she would interrupt Regina while she was poring over books (that she now knows contained spells) and would be scolded for it.

Regina these days actually has the grace to look a bit ashamed of her quick reaction, and sighs. “I didn’t hear you. I was trying to figure out the translation on this passage from my mother’s book.” After a second she waves at a chair, gesturing for Snow to sit. The younger woman does, with the understanding that inclusion is probably the only apology she is likely to get.

“So what is--?” Snow trails off for a second. “Regina? Why are there two different bouquets of lilies in here? I thought you hated them?”

“I do.” Regina doesn’t look up from the book, but her cheeks pink up slightly.

Snow just stares at her with an ‘I can outwait you’ look. Regina, despite being used to ignoring her stares, fidgets slightly. Her eyes move to the side as she observes Snow in her peripheral vision. After a moment she plunks her pen on the desk and turns to look at the other woman.

“What?”

“What, what?” Snow returns, a little smile on her face.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Nothing. It’s just cute. Did you and Robin have a big date or something?”

“For your information, Snow White, I don’t have the time for ‘dates’ while I’m attempting to both keep this town safe and get the darkness out of your daughter,” Regina snarks.

Now Snow looks confused. “Then who--?”

Regina sighs. “They’re... they’re from Sneezy.” Snow gives her the Charming family version of a ‘what the fuck?’ look. Regina rolls her eyes.

“Apparently he was surprised that I didn’t just decide to leave him as a statue for all eternity.” After a moment she gets up, walks over to one bouquet of flowers and takes a card from beside it, returning and handing it to Snow.

Regina sits back in her chair, adopting an unaffected air and going back to staring at her mother’s spell book. She can almost _hear_ Snow getting emotional as she reads the card. What she doesn’t expect is for the younger woman to have the gall to suddenly hug her.

“Snow! Unhand me!” The old world version of ‘get the hell off’ slips out before she has a chance to adjust, she’s so shocked.

“But it’s so cute!” Snow exclaims, too close to her eardrum for comfort.

“And so will the flowers at your funeral be if you don’t let go!” Regina threatens. Snow does let go but gives her a look that says she doesn’t buy her posturing.

“But,” and Snow waves the card and then opens it and begins to read it aloud as Regina watches, horrified.

_“Madame Mayor,_

_I know that we aren’t your favourite people, due to sheltering Snow White in the old world. But I needed to let you know how grateful I was for what you did when you removed the petrification placed on me by the Dark One. You see, I know you expected that all you had done was remove the stone spell. But you actually removed another curse, one you couldn’t have known was there. Long ago, I had an accident in the mines and inhaled too much fairy dust. I began to have sneezing reactions to nearly everything after that day. I could barely sleep. Even my name changed on my pickaxe, and once it changes that’s how you get referred to, like it or not. You changed all that when you used your magic to remove the spell that the Dark One cast on me. I haven’t sneezed since that night. So I hope you’ll accept these flowers as a token of my thanks._

_P.S. I finally got to see what the inside of Game of Thorns looked like. I’ve always wondered!”_

Snow looks up from her reading to find Regina with her head buried in her hands, heels of her palms pressed to her eyes. “I’m ruined,” she growls. “How the hell am I supposed to strike fear into people’s hearts if I go around breaking curses I didn’t even mean to lift?”

Snow risks patting her on the shoulder in reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’m sure there are lots of people who are still scared of you. Really.”

Regina swats at her hand and returns to gazing at her writing as Snow returns the card to its place beside the flowers. “Hey, out of curiosity... why’d you wait till the end of the day to change Sneezy back anyway?” (Snow makes a mental note to ask what his actual name is and use it from now on. People should be allowed to be what they choose, in her estimation.)

Regina looks at her, a small wry smile tugging at her lips. “I... didn’t want to listen to him sneezing,” she admits, and Snow laughs.


End file.
